Senate manifesto vs PI may thwart ‘people’s will’ — Pirma exec

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MANILA, Philippines — The Senate’s manifesto rejecting the people’s initiative for Charter-change (Cha-cha) appears to be an attempt to suppress the “people’s will,” the private group spearheading the signature campaign for Cha-cha said on Wednesday.

The National Convenor of People’s Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (Pirma) lamented the Senate’s move, saying that the people’s initiative is an opportunity for Filipinos to chime in on “improving” the Constitution.

READ: Pimentel: Comelec may face raps for accepting Charter change signatures

“Nakakalungkot dahil parang pinipigilan ng Senado ang direct participation ng ating taumbayan,” Pirma’s Noel Oñate said at Kapihan sa Manila Bay.

(It’s saddening because it’s like the Senate is preventing the direct participation of our people.)

“Kaya nga po ‘people’s initiative’ ay dahil sila [taumbayan] po ang nagsusulong na baguhin ang ating Konstitusyon,” Oñate explained.

(That’s why it’s called “people’s initiative” because they [people] are the ones pushing to change the Constitution.)

On Tuesday, all 24 Senators signed a manifesto rejecting the people’s initiative, with Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri saying they are throwing away a “brazen attempt to violate the Constitution.”

Oñate said that the senators are suppressing what the people want.

“Parang hinahadlangan ng Senado ang people’s will,” he stressed.

(It’s like the Senate is suppressing the people’s will.)

‘Eliminating’ the Senate

In its manifesto, the Senate alleged that the people’s initiative is simply a guise to “revise the Constitution by eliminating the Senate from the equation.”

However, Pirma’s Convenor explained that the initiative’s goal is to amend the Constitution to make the Senate and Congress vote jointly on revising provisions of the Charter through a constituent assembly.

READ: Marcos urges to let Comelec validate Cha-cha signatures

“We are not saying that they [Senate] will be abolished, but one person, one vote would happen in the constituent assembly,” Oñate said in Filipino.

But in a previous interview, Pirma expressed intent to form a unicameral government where the 24 senators and over 300 members of the congress would be merged into one.

Oñate said that this would expedite the passing of laws because the process would be more streamlined.

However, this sparked criticism from various lawyers, including former lawmaker Neri Colmenares, who called the people’s initiative “dangerous” as a unicameral government would eliminate the Senate, a form of checks and balances.